Chapter 598

"Lucien?"

"Yeah?" Lucien spun around in the corridor to see his brother striding quickly toward him. "Eris…"

"What are you doing?"

"Ah…" Lucien blinked and glanced around himself. "I… was… looking for Helion."

"In here?"

"Ah…" Lucien blinked, unsure what he was doing standing halfway up the corridor by himself. "I…" he looked at the window, at the last remaining rays of the day sinking behind the horizon, "might have stopped to look at the sunset?" He frowned. He remembered returning to the Palace with Tisia and then they had parted ways and he had headed upstairs to look for his father. "I was heading to his over the top golden meeting room…" he grinned at Eris who raised an eyebrow in response.

"The one with the giant round table and the sun on the roof?"

"That's the one." He slanted another look at his brother, "Didn't I leave you with Elain?" Eris' face tightened for a second and he looked a little sheepish.

"She went with Nera to speak with that Kera female…"

"Right…" Lucien said slowly, "And?"

"I was looking for the both of them." Eris had the good grace to look embarrassed, "I've not seen either of them since."

Swallowing irritation, Lucien released a long breath. At least he had gotten Kaii and Siv to watch over his mate. She was not out there on her own. "I see…"

"I'm…" Eris murmured softly, "I'm sorry."

Lucien blinked, and made no effort to hide his surprise. "I… do not believe I have ever heard those words come out of you before. Especially not said to me."

"Yeah, well…" Eris rolled his eyes, "I know you left Elain with me so that you knew she was safe, and I allowed her to talk me into letting her go speak with Kera. She said that Kera had been collecting information on Vassa."

"Hm. Yes." Lucien's gaze slipped toward the end of the corridor. "That was what I was going to talk to Helion about."

"Perhaps you should go do that." Eris told him, "I'll find Elain and Nera."

"I…" Lucien frowned again. Suddenly finding Helion didn't seem so pressing. "I should probably help find Elain." He said, "She's more important than…" he frowned again, "other things."

"You might need to know what she found out from Kera." Eris agreed. "Are you prepared for this evening?"

"The dinner?" Lucien asked as he walked beside his brother up the corridor.

"And the rest of the evening."

"Ah." Lucien had forgotten about the fact that it was the other High Lords' second last evening in the Day Court, and he had organised music and dancers for them. "Everything was previously arranged." He said, "I think Thesan will enjoy it the most."

"Well, that sets a certain level of expectation." Eris replied, and Lucien grinned at him.

"Oh, as it should." He told his brother, "This is something that Helion has enjoyed on several occasions. The Day Court's most illustrious entertainers."

"Tell me that clothing is not optional."

Lucien laughed out loud at that and grinned at his brother once more. "Thought I might leave that up to each individual."

"You're the Heir here." Eris said flatly, "You set the standard."

"A good Heir would never deny his guests what they desire…"

"I might disagree." Eris pushed open a door to one of the gardens. "Can you tell if Elain is nearby?"

"I could…" Lucien closed his eyes, trying to reach for the bond. "It feels…" he opened his eyes. The bond felt fainter than it had since the moment it snapped into place. "I think she's in our room." He gestured down the hall to their left and Eris went with him.

"Nera is with her?"

"I cannot tell that."